The present invention relates to a device for feeding reels of tape material into a packaging machine.
In particular, the present invention relates to a device for feeding reels of wrapping material loaded in the buffer magazine of a machine which uses said tape material for wrapping or packaging.
Packaging machines are known which have a buffer magazine suitable for supporting a plurality of reels arranged side by side. The reels to be used are removed one at a time from said buffer magazine and are fed to elements which change said reels in the packaging machine.
When the reel being used ends, said changing elements feed the machine with a subsequent reel. This makes the packaging machine independent for relatively long periods of time.
A changing device used in said machines is described in the U.S. Ser. No. 07/619,476 filed Nov. 29, 1990, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,219,127. Said changing device essentially provides a transfer element which can move between a first position, in which it receives the reel to be transferred to the packaging machine, and a second position for the normal unrolling of the reel in the machine; said transfer element comprises a rotatable arm which is provided, at one end, with a reel-holder head.
In order to reduce the dimensions of the unit, the reel buffer magazine is preferably arranged in a region overlying the packaging machine.
Therefore the problem arises of removing the reels loaded in the buffer magazine and feeding said reels in succession to the reel changing device of the packaging machine.
Automated feeding systems are currently known for this purpose, but they are rather complicated and relatively expensive.